Is your nightstand riddled with empty soda cans, used cereal bowls, and assorted pens and pencils? Are yesterday’s gym clothes tossed on the armchair? Believe it or not, this seemingly innocuous clutter can be keeping you awake at night!

A messy and cluttered bedroom can impact not only how quickly you fall asleep but also the quality of your sleep. Sleep expert Carl Walsh emphasizes that being surrounded by mess and clutter before falling asleep can leave you feeling anxious or on edge which can affect sleep quality. Simply stated: a messy room can lead to a poor night’s sleep.

Why Do Messy Bedrooms Affect Us?

A cluttered bedroom affects our ability to enjoy quality sleep. Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, head sleep expert and neuroscientist at Wesper, explains that our brains are pattern recognition machines that associate our environment with our behavior. When your bedroom is calm, comfortable, and quiet, your brain links it with relaxation, making it easier to unwind and sleep. Conversely, a messy bedroom overstimulates your brain, quickly associating the space with stress and making it harder to fall into a restful sleep.

Another study conducted by St. Lawrence University in New York found that a cluttered bedroom can result in both disrupted sleep and heightened anxiety levels. Teenagers, who are often sleep deprived and living in chaos, may particularly benefit from a more orderly bedroom.

Eliminate Bedroom Clutter

Declutter your bedroom to improve your well-being and sleep quality. Here are some practical tips for a more serene, uncluttered bedroom:

• First, pick up garbage, dishes and items that don’t belong in the bedroom.
• Make your bed: An unmade bed can make a room look cluttered.
• Eliminate unneeded items: Sort through items and create piles for items to keep, donate, or throw away.
• Limit surface clutter: Try to keep each surface to fewer than five items or less. Use storage bins to stow away seasonal items.
• Use under-bed storage: You can buy a storage bed, raise your bed to add containers, or DIY a solution for lesser-used items.
• Establish a routine: Regular decluttering helps create a calm atmosphere conducive to sleep, saving you money and freeing up time.

What we have learned

A clean and organized bedroom promotes relaxation and better sleep, making it easier to wake up refreshed and ready for the day. It turns out Mom was right: Go clean your room!

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Dream big, work hard, sleep ambitiously,

Joe Castignani